oh! what if you make it into a "treehouse"? bits of decorative vines, the ladders are mottled brown like a tree-trunk, and the horizontal bars have branches painted on them... with fake leaves all over. the curtain could have the "tree-trunk" on it (either painted or sewn in).

i SO have a full image of this in my head, and i'd love to help you do it!

trick is getting me out to your place on a weekend. how soon are you wanting to build his bed?